Arkansas man found guilty of murder in Hardin County
Wednesday a Hardin County Jury convicted 25-year-old Osborn Eugene Gavel of Mountain Home, Arkansas with first degree murder in the death of a man from Union.
Gavel was homeless, and in October of 2021 he was offered help by 74-year-old Steven Craig Reece and a 60-year-old friend of Reece, including a place to stay. Less than 48 hours later in the pre-dawn hours of October 12th, 2021 Gavel took a crowbar and repeatedly beat Reece in the head while Reece slept.
During the trial Gavel and his attorneys argued that he suffered from a drug induced delusion which prevented him from forming the intent to kill Reece. The state presented expert testimony that Gavel was a sociopath, and that his defense was concocted.
Gavel will be sentenced May 15th at 1pm in Hardin County District Court at Eldora to the mandatory term of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
